Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail

The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, two disconnected paved ribbons along abandoned stretches of the historic U.S. Highway 30, give you more than 10 miles of sightseeing thrills, including semi-arid terrain dotted with ponderosa pine for about a mile until you reach the Twin Tunnels, where you’ll emerge into a forest of fir trees and other common western Oregon plants. Spectacular geologic formations tell the story of the gorge’s creation. Viewpoints along the 3.5 mile segment from the tunnels to the Mark O. Hatfield West Trailhead overlook the Columbia River.

Where motorists on old U.S. Highway 30 once crept around curves high along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge, hikers, bicyclists and users of other muscle-driven forms of transportation leisurely enjoy the view from the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Designed by Samual Lancaster between 1913 to 1922, the highway’s purpose was not merely to provide an east-west transportation route through the Columbia River Gorge, but to take full advantage of every natural aspect, scenic feature, waterfall, viewpoint and panorama. When bridges or tunnels were designed, they stood by themselves as artistic complements to the landscape. The Columbia River Highway served millions of travelers and became one of the grandest highways in the nation.

• ADA accessible
• Fee required
• Interpretive signage
• Visitor center on site